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Service milestone a 'goal' for Cubs' Davis

Service milestone a 'goal' for Cubs' Davis

Doug Davis

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ST. LOUIS -- Doug Davis' dad is keeping track. Davis is not.

When the left-handed pitcher joined the Cubs, he mentioned he was 44 days shy of having 10 years' service time, which would qualify him for Major League Baseball's pension. Including Saturday's game, he has nine years, 161 days in the big leagues.

Davis has pitched in 301 games, made 281 starts and totaled 1,689 2/3 innings, but it's the service time that counts.

"I don't know what date," Davis said on Saturday. "I'm not keeping track of it, per se. I know my dad is and some people are.

"It's a big goal. It's not all about the pension; it's more like a personal goal. Before you break in, you're saying, 'I just want to get up there and get three, four years and get arbitration and get a little money.' When you get to that point, you're like, 'I can do this forever.'"

Reaching 10 years was not the motivation for Davis when he was rehabbing from a left elbow injury last season. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to come back.

"You think about hanging it up, and I thought if I couldn't find a job, I would," Davis said. "Everybody I've talked to, people who take their own shirt off their back, they regret it. Everybody I've talked to said, 'Make them take it off your back.' Everything is gravy after 10. I'm going to play until I can't play anymore."

Davis threw on the side Saturday at Busch Stadium and has yet to win in four starts with the Cubs. He may get another chance on Tuesday in Cincinnati. Cubs manager Mike Quade has yet to name his starter, and the team needs to make a roster move on Monday to make room for Matt Garza, who will be activated from the disabled list.

In his last start, Davis gave up three runs on eight hits over a season-high 6 1/3 innings. He's ready.

"I may not ever get as good as I was when I was 26, 27, 28, in my prime, but I feel I can still help the team get to the next level and give the team a chance to win every time I go out there," Davis said. "If I didn't feel like that, I wouldn't be here."